Container mounting arrangement



1965 J. E.GU-TRIDGE ETAL 3,224,333

CONTAINER MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Original Filed May-18, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR5 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. Jae/ii 62a? Mf WW Dec. 21, 1965 Y .1. E. G UTRIDGE ETAL CONTAINER MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Original Filed May 18, 1961 Dec. 21, 1965 J. E. GUTRIDGE ETAL 3,224,333

CONTAINER MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Original Filed May 18, 1961 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 5 M T m m 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 .LELGUTRIDGE ETAL CONTAINER MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Dec. 21, 1965 Original Filed May 18, 1961 INVENTORS Dec. 21, 1965 J. E. GUTRIDGE ETAL 3,224,333

CQNTAINER MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed May 18, 1961 ll/Illa United States Patent- 3,224,383 CONTAINER MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Jack E. Gutridge, Dyer, and Kenneth J. Austgen, Griffith,

Ind., assignors to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, 11]., a

corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 111,012, May 18,

1961. This application Sept. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 398,476 Claims. (Cl. 105366) This is a continuation of our copending application Serial No. 111,012, filed May 18, 1961, and now abandoned. The invention relates to a lading mounting and attachment arrangement for use in vehicles such as piggyback operational railway cars. More specifically,the in vention is directed to a special container mounting arrangement particularly adapted for use with open deck flat cars on which a plurality of containers are carried in conformance with standard piggyback operation.

With the advent of piggyback freight container railway car operation, many different designs have been proposed for freight container attachment with many of these designs being limited to a particular type of freight container. Still further, while piggyback operations have been extended to combined container and wheel-supported trailer loading on a single railway car, the lading attachments have varied considerably in design and in most instances have been limited in operational use. Several problems have been foremost in arriving at lading attachment arrangements which are universal in use with different types of lading such-as freight containers and wheel-supported trailers. Thus in many instances the railway car is either adapted for container lading attachment, limited combined freight container and wheelsupported trailer attachment or limited to wheel-supported attachment alone.

To further complicate the problem of universal lading attachment, individual freight handling companies have developed their own designs insofar as freight containers are concerned. Thus the railway car building industry has been confronted with the necessity of supplying specially designed cars for use with prescribed freight container designs.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved lading mounting arrangement for use with vehicles, particularly flat deck railway cars.

Another object is to provide a new and improved universal lading mounting arrangement for use with vehicles such as railway cars, the arrangement involving a basic cushioned platform means provided with container attachment means which are adjustable into and out of operative positions thus adapting the vehicle for operational use with lading other than freight container lading.

Still a further object is to provide a new and improved cushioned rack assembly and railway car of which the rack assembly forms a part, the assembly being adapted for universal use with different types of lading such as freight containers and wheel-supported trailers, and being provided with new and improved container attachment means specially designed for the accommodation of different types of containers.

Patented Dec. 21, 1965 FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of a portion of the container mounting arrangement, this view being taken generally along line 33 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse end view of the portion of the mounting arrangement of FIG. 3 taken generally along line 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a portion of the car of FIG. 1 taken generally along line 55 therein illustrating a locking beam portion of the container mounting arrangement;

FIG. 6 illustrates the locking beam portion of the mounting arrangement of FIG. 5 in its inoperative position;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating details of structure and operative use of the locking beam portion of the mounting arrangement;

' 10 for operation in the known manner.

Other objects not specifically set forth will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of the deck portion of a piggyback railway car having applied thereto the new and im- I FIG. 8 is an enlarged section of a portion of the locking beam of FIG. 7 taken generally along line 8-8 therein; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial section of the locking beam of FIG. 7 taken generally along line 9-9 therein.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the flat open deck portion of a suitable piggyback railway car 10 having applied thereto the new and improved cushioned rack assembly 11 or movable platform means of the present invention. Generally, the car 10 includes a flat deck 12 extending over a center sill 13 which at each end mounts therein a conventional coupler 14. The deck portion is terminated at opposite ends by an end sill 15 and terminates along opposite sides in an upstanding, outwardly flanged side sill portion 16. The longitudinally extending flat deck 12 has mounted centrally thereon the longitudinally extending rack assembly 11 which divides the deck to define therewith a pair of wheel track areas 17 extending along each side of the rack assembly 11. Opposite ends of alternate wheel track areas 17 have aligned therewith pivotally mounted bridging plates 18 used in interconnecting the wheel track areas of adjacent cars in the known manner during loading and unloading of wheel-supported lading. Spanning plate members 19 having beveled end portions are mounted in the wheel track areas 17 adjacent fifth wheel stand assemblies 20 forming a part of the rack assembly 11. The spanning plate members 19 as illustrated are in the form of wooden plank members having beveled end surfaces which function to lift the wheel assemblies of wheel-supported lading such as trailers during movement thereof past the fifth wheel stand assemblies 20 to prevent contact of tractor or trailer differential housings or other undercarriage elements with the same. A hand brake unit 21 is mounted on the car Suitable wheel trucks (not shown) complete the basic car structure.

The cushioned rack assembly 11 illustrated includes a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending rail members 22 which are in the form of I-beams. As best shown in FIG. 4, each rail member 22 is supported on the bottom flange portion thereof by a plurality of longitudinally spaced bracket members 23 which are suitably attached at the base to the deck 12 of the car. Each bracket member 23 includes an anti-friction pad assembly 24 mounted in the base thereof and in engagement with a wear plate 25 carried on the bottom surface of the bottom flange portion of the rail member 22. The anti-friction pad assem bly may include a Teflon pad which materially reduces friction during longitudinal movement of the cushioned rack assembly 11 relative to the car 10. Referring to FIG. 1, the brackets which function as hold-down means are spaced longitudinally along the rail members 22 and may be positioned along both the inner and outer bottom flanged surface portions thereof.

A plurality of transverse frame members 26 interconnect the rail members 22 to provide a unitary structure for corresponding movement of the rail members 22 relative to the car in response to operational shock resulting from buff and draft forces. In other words, the rack assembly defined basically by the interconnected rail members 22 is adapted to move relative to the car 10 longitudinally thereof when the car is subjected to operational shock. In this regard the rack assembly 11 is adapted for lading attachment thereto to protect lading from operational shock by reason of cushioned travel relative to the car 10. Suitable cushioning means 27 interconnect the rack assembly 11 with the deck 12 of the car 10 to provide for the cushioned travel described. The cushioning units 27 may be of any suitable design and do not constitute a part of the present invention. Such designs include hydraulic cylinders or a plurality of rubber shock absorbing pads interconnecting the rack assembly and the car.

The fifth wheel stand assemblies 20 will also preferably be attached to the cushion rack assembly 11 for travel therewith relative to the car 10 in response to operational shock. In this regard the fifth wheel stand assemblies 20 operate in the known manner for attachment with a king pin assembly of the dolly wheel end of a trailer to support the same on the car 10. These assemblies are operable into and out of a raised position, the assemblies being illustrated in their inoperative recessed positions between the rail members 22 in FIG. 1. Thus the cushioned rack assembly 11 is adapted for use with wheel-supported trailers, the lading in such trailers being protected against operational shock by movement of the trailers with rack assembly 11 relative to the car 10 in the manner previously described. The trailer is attached to the rack assembly through a fifth wheel stand assembly and moves with the rack assembly by reason of its rear end wheel support in the wheel track areas 17 of the car.

The cushioned rack assembly 11 described above is adapted for rail-supported lading attachment as set forth. It is also adapted for direct support of freight containers. The rail members 22 as shown in FIG. 1 include top surface inverted channel beam portions 28 which provide a top flat surface on which containers may be placed in vertical load supporting engagement. Thus the containers would span the rack assembly 11 and extend outwardly of the wheel track areas 17 in a manner which is known. The inverted channel members 28 are provided to raise the bottom surface of the containers resting thereon to a level permitting ready insertion of grappling hooks or the like under the outer edges thereof between these edges and the top surfaces of the side sills 16. Depending upon the height of the rail members 22 and depending upon the height of the various elements between the rail members 22, the inverted channel members 28 need not necessarily be used. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the top flat surfaces of the rail members 22 may provide supporting surfaces for engagement with containers if adequate clearance is provided along opposite outside edges of the containers for suitable insertion of grappling hooks and the like.

Special container mounting and attachment means of the present invention are illustrated in operative positions in FIGS. 1 and 2. A cradle-like container seating means 29 is mounted between the rail members 22 in suitably spaced relation longitudinally of the rack assembly 11. As shown in FIG. 2, each cradle-like container seating means is adapted to receive therein a depending container support and anchor-like means 30 of a container 31. The type of container schematically illustrated is well known and the improvements of the present invention reside basically in the provision of improved container support and attachment means.

In addition to the cradle-like seating means, special container attachment means in the form of swinging armtype outrigger locking beams 32 are attached to the outer surfaces of the rails 22 in longitudinally spaced relation for operative use with the cradle-like seating means 29. The locking beams 32 are arranged in transversely directed pairs for engagement with opposite side margins of a container to hold the same against lateral movement relative to the cushioned rack assembly 11. Each cradlelike seating means 29 provides a vertical load support for a container while additionally preventing longitudinal movement of the container relative to the cushioned rack assembly 11. The locking beams 32 may be located at any desired interval along the cushioned rack assembly 11. Each beam includes a lock member 33 which is operated by suitable outboard handle means 34 positioned adjacent a side sill 16. A shown in FIG. 5, a container 31 may be provided with a suitable locking aperture 35 which is fomed in a depending bottom edge frame member 36 or the like. Also as shown in FIG. 5, the bottom edge portions of a container 31 may be supported directly on the top surfaces of the rail members 22 thus providing additional vertical load support for the container. However, as previously described and as shown in FIG. 2, the vertical load support of a container 31 may be supplied solely through the cradle-like seating means 29.

FIGS. 2-4 illustrate the details of each cradle-like seating means 29. Referring particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, a transverse box-like base support is formed from a top plate 37 and a bottom channel plate 38. The top plate 37 extends between the spaced rail members 22 and flares outwardly at opposite ends thereof to provide attaching end portions 39 of substantial width which are suitably attached to the center portions of the rail members 22 such as by welding. The channel plate 38 at the bottom thereof as best shown in FIG. 4 extends into engagement with the adjacent edges of the bottom flanged portions of the rail members 22 and into suitable attachment therewith. Thus the base support is attached to the rail members 22 for movement therewith relative to the car 10. The base support is further provided with depending footlike vertical load transmission members 40 which terminate at the base thereof in wear plate sections 41 which are in engagement with the deck plate 12 for sliding movement therealong with the cushioned rack assembly 11. Any suitable anti-friction pad assemblies of the type previously described may be incorporated in the load members 40 to reduce friction during travel of the members relative to the car.

Opposite end surface portions of the base support defined by the plates 37 and 38 have fixed thereto spaced pairs of upstanding hinge plates 42. These hinge plates at the upper projecting ear-like portions thereof are suitably apertured with the apertures being aligned with corresponding apertures in cooperating hinge plate rib members 43 attached at right angles to cradle forming plate members 44. The plate members 44 are provided with vertical portions extending upwardly from a reinforcing bottom plate 45 Which is placed in resting engagement with the top surface of the transverse base support plate 37 when the seating means 29 is in its operative position as shown in FIGS. 2-4. The upward extensions of the cradle forming plates 44 include outwardly inclined portions 46 defining the cradle area in which the container anchor means 30 is received, these portions terminating in horizontal flange portions 47 which overlie the uppermost edges of the hinge plate ribs 43. A suitable reinforcing plate member 48 extends between the bottom vertical portions of the cradle forming plates 44 directly above the reinforcing bottom plate 45.

The hinge plate ribs 43 are of substantial area and function to reinforce the cradle forming plates 44 to which they are fixedly attached. Suitable removable hinge bolts 49 extend through the aligned apertures of the cooperating hinge plates 42 and 43 and may be fixed therein by cotter pins 50 or the like. As shown in FIG. 3, the bolts 49 along one end may be removed to disconnect the associated hinge plates 42 and 43 to permit pivoting of the cradle assembly into its inoperative position as shown in broken lines in the left hand portion of FIG. 3. The cradle assembly readily pivots about the retained bolts 49 into an inverted position with the top flange portions 47 engaging the deck 12 of the car. In this position the seating means 29 is placed below the top surfaces of the rail members 22 for free use thereof in supporting containers which do not include the anchor means 30 and for unimpeded operation of wheel-supported vehicles along the car over the cushioned rack assembly 11. With thisarrangement the cradle-like seating means 29 may be readily moved into and out of operative position thus permitting universal use of the cushioned rack assembly of the car.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, each locking beam 32 is pivotally mounted on the outer surface of a rail member 22 for movement into and out of operative position. The operative position of a locking beam 32is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5 and FIG. 6 illustrates the inoperative or stored position. The locking beam basically comprises a flat plate beam portion 51 provided along the top and bottom edges thereof with reinforcing flanges 52. The rail member 22 includes spaced mounting ears 53 cooperating with mounting ears 54 formed on the inner end of the beam 51 and pivotally interconnected by a vertical pin 55. Spaced from the ears 53 along the center portion of the rail member 22 is a fixed pair of apertured ears 56 which receive therebetween an apertured end of a reinforcing rod 57 which extends diagonally into pivotal connection with the beam 51 centrally thereof. The beam 51 includes a pair of apertured ears 58 through which a pin 59 is received which pivotally attaches the outermost end of the reinforcing rod 57 thereto. A locking pin 60 attached by a chain 61 to the rod 57 detachably connects the innermost end of the rod 57 to the ears 56. By reason of this arrangement, each locking beam 32 is movable into and out of operative position. When the locking beam is not needed for attaching a container to the car 10, the pin 60 is removed from the ears 56 thus freeing the adjacent end of the reinforcing rod 57. The locking beam 32 is then free to pivot about the pin 55 from its operative position shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 into its inoperative position shown in FIG. 6. This position places the locking beam in parallel relation to thecenter surface of the rail member 22 nested between the top and bottom flange portions thereof and completely out of the associated wheel track area 17. The rail member 22 is provided with a bracket type retainer 62 which receives the lock member 33 therein. Another bracket-like re tainer 63 is carried by the rail member 22 and receives the end of the handle means 34 therein. The bottom flange portion of the rail member 22 is provided with an aperture 64 positioned to receive the free apertured end of the reinforcing rod 57 thereover and the locking pin 60 is inserted through the aperture in the rod end and into the aperture 64 to fix the same to the rail member 22. In this manner the locking beam 32 is completely attached against the recessed outer side surface portion of the rail member 22 and is protected against damage.

FIGS. 7-9 illustrate the details of the lock operating assembly of each locking beam 32. The bottom flanged surface of the main beam 51 angles upwardly toward the outer end of each locking beam. The outermost end of the beam 51 between the top and bottom flange portions. 52 thereof has mounted thereon a lock member and spring housing 65 which at the rearmost end receives therein a coil spring 66. The outermost end of the spring 66 engages the rear face of the lock member 33 which includes a base portion 67 of block-like configuration received in the housing 65. The outermost end of the top flange portion 52 is provided with a slot-like groove 68 through which the top portion of the lock member 33 projects, this top portion being provided with an outwardly directed hook portion 69. One side surface portion of the lock member 33 is provided with a longitudinal groove 70 in which is received a portion ofthe top flange 6 52 the outer edge of which is cut away to define the slot 68. The top surface of the housing 65 is apertured below the slot 68 and includes an oppositely directed guide flange portion 71 which is received in a groove-like slot 72 extending along the opposite surface of the lock member 33 below the groove 70. In this manner the lock member 33 is mounted for stabilized sliding movement along the outer end of the beam 51 while partially seated in the housing 65 and urged outwardly by the captive spring 66. A transverse stop plate 73 is attached between the outer ends of the flange portions 52 and 71 to control the extent to which the lock member may move in an outward direction.

The base portion 67 of the lock member 33 on the outer face thereof is provided with an outwardly projecting stub shaft portion 74 which may be externally threaded near its outer end to fixedly receive thereon an adjacent end of a tightly wound coil spring 75. The spring 75 is cradled in an outwardly projecting, upwardly opening channel member 76 which is arranged to permit upward bending of the spring 75 as shown in broken lines in FIG. 7. The outermost end of the spring 75 has threadedly received therein a stub staff portion 77 fixedly secured to the depending end of the handle member 34.

The outermost end of the stub shaft portion 77 of the handle member 34 is provided with a pointed projection 78 which as best shown in FIG. 7 is adapted to be received in a locking depression 79 formed in the inner surface of the side sill 16. The position of the elements illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 7 provides for holding of the lock member 33 against the spring 66 in its inoperative position. The pointed end 78 of the stub shaft portion 77 is held in the locking depression 79 and the dimensions are such that the lock member 33 through the stiff spring 75 is forced rearwardly in the slot 68 and the spring 66 is compressed in the housing 65. The locking beam 32 is in position to receive thereover a container 31 as shown in FIG. 5. When the container 31 is in place with the locking aperture 35 aligned with the projecting hook end 69 of the lock member 33, the handle member 34 is grasped and moved inwardly toward the container to further compress the spring 66 and free the pointed end 78 of the stub shaft portion 77 from the detent locking recess 79 in the side sill 16. The handle member 34 is then free to be lifted into the broken line position illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7 to raise the same over the top of the side sill 16. This is made possible by the tightly wound spring 75 which is flexible in a lateral direction. The lock member 33 is then free to slide outwardly in response to the urging of the spring 66 and the projecting hook portion 69 is received in the locking aperture of the container 31. The spring 66 then functions to retain the lock member 33 in its operative position until the operation described above is reversed. The handle member 34 is always readily available along the side of the car 10 for operation of the locking beam.

As previously described, the locking beams 32 provide lateral attaching means for a container and are not necessarily intended to support vertical load. The vertical load of the container may be carried by the cradle-like seatingmeans 29. Both the seating means and the locking beams are designed for inoperative positioning in a manner which adapts the cushioned rack assembly 11 for universal use with many different types of lading.

Obviously certain modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a vehicle having a longitudinally extending deck portion for lading loading thereon provided with Wheel supported lading receiving track areas located just inwardly of the sides of said deck portion, the provision of lading support and attachment means mounted on said deck portion longitudinally thereof and confined centrally between said track areas, said support and attachment means comprising a pair of laterally spaced and longitudinally extending rail-like members having load bearing surfaces projecting above said deck portion to receive the vertical load of container-type lading thereon and transmit said load to said vehicle, container-type lading engaging means forming part of said lading support and attachment means and being adapted to engage a portion of the lading to hold the lading against longitudinal movement relative to the lading support and attachment means, and transversely extending container-type lading attachment means including laterally stabilizing gripping means pivotally attached to each of said rail-like members for pivoting in a direction laterally outwardly of said rail-like members from a storage position substantially parallel to said rail-like members to a lading gripping position substantially outwardly of said rail-like members and said lading gripping means being spaced for attachment between the load-bearing surfaces and the container-type lading, and being of lateral extent to engage the containertype lading substantially at the lateral outboard extremities thereof and being transversely over and vertically spaced from adjacent track areas to primarily laterally stabilize the lading on said rail-like members in the lading gripping position, and said lading attachment means in their lading gripping position except for the lading gripping means thereof being of a height which is less than that of said rail-like members for defining a clearance space between the lading attachment means and the lading to require concentration of the vertical load of containertype lading on said rail-like members.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein means mount said lading support and attachment means on said deck portion for cushioned movement longitudinally therealong in response to operational force applied to said vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said lading attachment means are in the form of longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely aligned beam-like members.

4. In a railway car for piggyback lading operation the provision of a cushioned rack structure extending longitudinally of said car, said rack structure comprising a pair of spaced rail members adapted to receive wheel-supported lading thereover, container seating means forming a part of said rack structure and located relative to said rail members to project above the same in its operative position, said container seating means being of cradle-like structure to receive container anchor means on a container therein to hold a container against longitudinal movement relative to said rack structure, means mounting said seating means for movement into and out of raised operative position relative to said rail members, the inoperative position of said seating means placing the same no more than level with the top surfaces of said rail members to permit wheel-supported lading operation thereover, container attachment means on said rack structure to hold a container thereon, said container attachment means comprising oppositely directed pairs of locking beams with each beam being pivotally mounted to a rail member for movement into and out of operative position, each beam in its operative position extending outboard of said rack structure transversely of said car, each beam comprising a lock member adapted to grip a part of a container, biasing means in said beam in engagement with said lock member urging the same into container gripping position, and operating means for said lock member to control positioning thereof, said operating means comprising a handle portion movable int-o and out of said beam in response to the urging of said biasing means, and abutment means on said car for engagement by said handle portion to prevent movement thereof out of said beam and hold said lock member in inoperative position, and cushioning means interconnecting said rack structure and said car for controlled longitudinal movement thereof with a container mounted thereon relative to said car.

5. The railway car of claim 4 wherein said abutment means on said car comprises upstanding side sills forming a part of a deck portion of said car, which side sills and deck portion extend longitudinally of said car outboard of said rack structure, the handle portion of said operating means projecting outwardly over an adjacent side sill in the operative position of a locking beam for ready accessibility outwardly from underneath a container.

6. In a vehicle having an underframe, a cushioned container mounting arrangement comprising platform means mounted on said underframe and adapted to receive container lading thereon, means interconnecting said underframe and platform means for relative longitudinal movement therebetween, container engaging means on said platform means adapted to engage container anchor means on a container to fix a container against longitudinal movement relative to said platform means, container attachment means on said platform means and extending transversely of said vehicle outboard of said container engaging means, said attachment means including container gripping means adapted to engage a container adjacent a margin thereof to fix the same against lateral movement relative to said platform means, cushioning means interengaging said platform means and said underframe for controlled longitudinal movement therebetwcen, said container attachment means being in the form of oppositely directed pairs of locking beams with each beam being pivotally mounted to said platform means for limited movement into and out of operative position transversely of said platform means, each beam comprising a lock member adapted to grip a part of a container, biasing means in said beam in engagement with said lock member urging the same into container gripping position, and operating means for said lock member to control positioning thereof, said operating means comprising a handle portion movable into and out of said beam in response to the urging of said biasing means, and abutment means on said underframe for engagement by said handle portion to prevent movement thereof out of said beam and hold said lock member in inoperative position.

7. In a vehicle having an underframe, a cushioned container mounting arrangement comprising platform means mounted on said underframe and adapted to receive container lading thereon, means interconnecting said underframe and platform means for relative longitudinal movement therebetween, container seating means on said platform means adapted to receive container anchor means on a container to fix a container against longitudinal movement relative to said platform means, container attachment means on said platform means and extending transversely of said vehicle outboard of said container engaging means, said attachment means including container gripping means adapted to engage a container adjacent a margin thereof to fix the same against lateral movement relative to said platform means, cushioning means interengaging said platform means and said underframe for controlled longitudinal movement therebetween, said container attachment means being in the form of oppositely directed pairs of locking beams with each beam being pivotally mounted to said platform means for limited movement into and out of operative position transversely of said platform means, each beam comprising an upwardly projecting lock member having an outwardly directed hook portion adapted to grip a part of a container, biasing means in said beam in engagement with said lock member urging the same into container gripping position, and operating means for said lock member to control positioning thereof, said operating means comprising a flexible handle portion movable into and out of said beam in response to the urging of said biasing means, and abutment means on said underframe for engagement by said handle portion to prevent movement thereof out of said beam and hold said lock member in inoperative position.

8. In a railway car for piggyback lading operation, the provision of a cushioned rack structure extending longitudinally of said car, said rack structure comprising a pair of spaced rail members adapted to receive wheel-supported lading thereover, container seating means forming a part of said rack structure and located relative to said rail members to project above the same in its operative position, said container seating means being of cradle-like structure to receive container anchor means on a container therein to hold a container against longitudinal movement relative to said rack structure, means mounting said seating means for movement into and out of raised operative position relative to said rail members, the inoperative position of said seating means placing the same no more than level with the top surfaces of said rail members to permit wheelsupported lading operation thereover, container attachment means on said rack structure to hold a container thereon, said container attachment means comprising oppositely directed pairs of locking beams with each beam being pivotally mounted to a rail member for movement into and out of operative position, each beam in its operative position extending outboard of said rack structure transversely of said car, each beam comprising an upwardly projecting lock member having an outwardly directed hook portion adapted to grip a part of a container, biasing means in said beam in engagement with said lock member urging the same into container gripping position, and operating means for said lock member to control positioning thereof, said operating means comprising a flexible handle portion movable into and out of said beam in response to the urging of said biasing means, and abutment means on said car for engagement by said handle portion to prevent movement thereof out of said beam and hold said lock member in inoperative position, and cushioning means interconnecting said rack structure and said car for controlled longitudinal movement thereof with a container mounted thereon relative to said car.

9. In a railway car for piggyback lading operation, the provision of a cushioned rack structure extending 1ongitudinally of said car and extending above the car deck, said rack structure comprising a pair of spaced rail members adapted to receive wheel supported lading therover, the rail members having main load bearing surfaces adapted to receive the vertical load of a container thereon, container engaging means forming a part of said rack structure and projecting above the same in the operative position and being adapted to engage a container portion to hold a container against longitudinal movement relative to said rack structure, means mounting said container engaging means for movement into and out of raised operative position relative to said rail members, the inoperative position of said container engaging means placing the same substantially no more than level with the top surfaces of said rail members to permit wheelsupported lading operation thereover, container attachment means on said rack structure to hold a container thereon, said container attachment means comprising oppositely directed pairs of locking beams with each beam being pivotally mounted to a rail member for movement into and out of operative position, each beam in its operative position extending outboard of said rack structure transversely of said car, each beam comprising a lock member mounted substantially outwardly therealong and being spaced for attachment between the main load f 10 bearing surfaces and the container and of lateral extent to grip a part of a container to be spaced outwardly from said rack structure substantially at the lateral outboard extremity of the container for primarily lateral stability 5 of the container, said locking beams in an operative position except for the locking members thereof being a height which is less than that of said rail members for defining a clearance space between the locking beams and the container to require concentration of the vertical load of the container on said rail members, operating means for said lock member to control positioning thereof, and cushioning means interconnecting said rack structure and said car for controlled longitudinal movement thereof with a container mounted thereon relative to said car.

10. In a railway car for piggyback lading operation, the provision of a cushioned rack structure extending longitudinally of said car inboard of the wheel supporting track areas of the car, said rack structure comprising a pair of spaced rail members adapted to receive wheelsupported lading thereover, container seating means forming a part of said rack structure and located relative to said rail members to project above the same in its operative position, said container seating means being of cradle-like structure to receive a container portion therein to hold a container against longitudinal movement relative to said rack structure, means mounting said seating means for movement into and out of raised operative position relative to said rail members, the inoperative position of said seating means placing the same substantially no more than level with the top surfaces of said rail members to permit wheel-supported lading operation thereover, said rail members having load bearing surfaces projecting above said deck portion to receive the vertical load of a container thereon and transmit said load to said vehicle, and transversely extending container attachment means including laterally stabilizing and container gripping means pivotally attached to each of said rail members for pivoting in a direction laterally outwardly of said rail members from a storage position substantially parallel to said rail members to a container gripping position substantially outwardly of said rail members, said container gripping means being spaced for attachment between the load-bearing surfaces and the container and being of lateral extent to engage the container substantially at the lateral outboard extremity thereof for being transversely over and vertically spaced from adjacent track areas to stabilize the container on said rail members in the lading position, and said container at- 50 tachment means in their container gripping position except for the container gripping means thereof being of a height which is less than that of said rail members for defining a clearance space between the lading attachment means and the lading to require concentration of the 55 vertical load of the container on said rail members.

References Cited by the Examiner ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

EUGENE G. BOTZ, Examiner.

D. E. HOFFMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A VEHICLE A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING DECK PORTION FOR LADING LOADING THEREON PROVIDED WITH WHEEL SUPPORTED LADING RECEIVING TRACK AREAS LOCATED JUST INWARDLY OF THE SIDES OF SAID DECK PORTION, THE PROVISION OF LADING SUPPORT AND ATTACHMENT MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID DECK PORTION LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF AND CONFINED CENTRALLY BETWEEN SAID TRACK AREAS, SAID SUPPORT AND ATTACHMENT MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED AND LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RAIL-LIKE MEMBERS HAVING LOAD BEARING SURFACES PROJECTING ABOVE SAID DECK PORTION TO RECEIVE THE VERTICAL LOAD OF CONTAINER-TYPE LADING THEREON AND TRANSMIT SAID LOAD TO SAID VEHICLE, CONTAINER-TYPE LADING ENGAGING MEANS FORMING PART OF SAID LADING SUPPORT AND ATTACHMENT MEANS AND BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A PORTION OF THE LADING TO HOLD THE LADING AGAINST LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE LADING SUPPORT AND ATTACHMENT MEANS, AND TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING CONTAINER-TYPE LADING ATTACHMENT MEANS INCLUDING LATERALLY STABILIZING GRIPPING MEANS PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TOO EACH OF SAID RAIL-LIKE MEMBERS FOR PIVOTING IN A DIRECTION LATERALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID RAIL-LIKE MEMBERS FROM A STORAGE POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID RAIL-LIKE MEMBERS TO A LADING GRIPPING POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID RAIL-LIKE MEMBERS AND SAID LADING GRIPPING MEANS BEING SPACED FOR ATTACHMENT BETWEEN THE LOAD-BEARING SURFACES AND THE CONTAINER-TYPE LADING, AND BEING OF LATERAL EXTENT TO ENGAGE THE CONTAINERTYPE LADING SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE LATERAL OUTBOARD EXTREMITIES THEREOF AND BEING TRANSVERSELY OVER AND VERTICALLY SPACED FROM ADJACENT TRACK AREAS TO PRIMARILY LATERALLY STABILIZE THE LADING ON SAID RAIL-LIKE MEMBERS IN THE LADING GRIPPING POSITION, AND SAID LADING ATTACHMENT MEANS IN THEIR LADING GRIPPING POSITION EXCEPT FOR THE LADING GRIPPING MEANS THEREOF BEING OF A HEIGHT WHICH IS LESS THAN THAT OF SAID RAIL-LIKE MEMBERS FOR DEFINING A CLERANCE SPACE BETWEEN THE LADING ATTACHMENT MEANS AND THE LADING TO REQUIRE CONCENTRATION OF THE VERTICAL LOAD OF CONTAINERTYPE LADING ON SAID RAIL-LIKE MEMBERS. 